The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system in Barbados has been strengthened with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the 17-year-old TVET Council and three public training orgainisations.The signing took place last Friday at the Hilton Barbados. Chairman of the council, Chairman Dr Hensley Sobers, described the signing as “a maor leap forward in terms of the formal expression of our collective intention to take workforce training in Barbados, both at the institutional and on-the-job levels, along the path of competence-based education and training”.He also said the signing signalled yet another major milestone for the national TVET system. “From today onward it is hoped that TVET Council’s view that TVET is the key to a world class workforce will be synonymous with the practice of competence-based TVET and certification,” he noted. Signing on behalf of the Council were chairman Sobers and executive director Trevor King, while chairman of the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic, Desmond Browne, and chairman of the Barbados Vocational Training Board, Dr George Callender, represented their institutions. The Barbados Community College is expected to sign on to the MOU at a later date.Brown and Callender were pleased with the introduction of the MOU and indicated that many of their past graduates had suffered from potential employers – including Government – not recognising the students’ qualifications. The TVET Council is the local awarding body for the National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and their regional equivalent, and focuses on the promotion of a competence-based approach to training, assessment and certification. (KB)
